Circulation is key in keeping a swimming pool healthy. Movement of water would be impossible without your pool pump. What is the pool pump? It’s really a motor and a pump, two parts. The pool pump pulls water out of the pool through the plumbing equipment and onto the filter and also pushes water back into the pool. The size of the pump and how much power it has is determined by the size of the pool and the size of the plumbing. For a pool to run efficiently the pump should be sized correctly.
How does the pool pump work? To keep things simple an influent line or hose leads water into the pump and first passes it through the pump basket to strain out debris. Then the water is pushed through the impeller. The impeller is a rotating part that is attached to the motor shaft. The impeller spins fast and creates a centrifugal force that moves water out through the hose toward the pool filter. This is the effluent line going out to the filter. It is possible for debris or a broken piece of an old strainer basket to get pushed into the impeller and cause the impeller to jam or break. For this reason it’s important to keep the pump basket cleared out and in good condition. If it’s old and brittle, get a new one as they are very inexpensive and can save you from replacing a more expensive part such as an impeller. What does it mean to prime a pump? When air gets into a pump sometimes it will loose its “prime.” This is because the influent line needs to be filled with water so that when the pump kicks on any air is forced out the effluent line. Pumps are self-priming, so if the pump is not priming correctly there may be a problem.
If the pool pump is sized correctly it should circulate the entire pool in about 8 hours. There are many different types of pool pumps on the market and pool equipment manufactures are constantly coming up with more efficient pumps. It is now possible to get computerized pumps that run far more efficiently and can save a pool owner a significant amount of money. Remember, only licensed pool companies can install pumps and motors and do any electrical work at your house, and even that is limited to the outside pool area. Only a licensed electrician can do wiring of your main house. Our license number is 230, we are listed under our corporate name JS Moore, Inc. in Frisco, Tx.
